Issue 104 - January 2024
Ocean Hope Chronicles: Local Leaders as Extraordinary Changemakers
By Liz Cunningham
The Marine Conservation Action Fund supports community-based projects spearheaded by local conservation leaders that create enduring and systemic change.
Liz Cunningham’s Ocean Hope Chronicles are dedicated to inspiring individuals who are making a difference to protect the life of the seas.
“Majority world.” My ears pricked up. I had not heard that term before.
The speaker continued. “The majority world is home to talented conservationists who have historically been underrepresented due to colonialism, parachute science, and deep inequalities in the ability to get visas to travel to conferences.”
Elizabeth Stephenson, the Director of the Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF), was delivering opening remarks at the 2023 MCAF Summit at the New England Aquarium. For over twenty years MCAF has operated under the aquarium’s auspices supporting community-based projects headed by local conservation leaders in the majority world.
Stephenson used the term majority world with clear intent: it refers to where the majority of the world’s population lives, without the negative and marginalizing undertones of the words “developing” and the now thankfully defunct, “Third World.”
Majority world as a term is catching on. How big is the majority world? It’s over 80% of the earth’s population. That’s where a shocking inequity surfaces. A recent study showed that only 12% of giving by foundations based in the United States went to local programs in the majority world.
“The work of these local leaders has led to significant protections for wildlife, education programs and transitions to sustainable forms of ecotourism,” Stephenson explained. The examples abound: Andrés López and Ilena Zanella founded Misión Tiburón which was instrumental in Costa Rica’s first shark sanctuary. Kerstin Forsberg, founder and director of Planeta Oceanó, led the community-based effort which achieved protection for giant manta rays in Peru.
MCAF’s focus is also a departure from what’s termed parachute science or colonial science—scientists coming in from high-income countries to do research without investment in local communities. One of the MCAF Fellows, Sri Lankan marine biologist and founder of Oceanswell, Asha de Vos, Ph.D., has championed the need to invest in local scientific talent and infrastructure.
“Asha’s focus on equity has had big influence on us,” Stephenson told me and explained how MCAF’s evolution has been driven by listening to and learning from their community of leaders.
“Equity and conservation are intertwined,” Stephenson continued. “They are goals that are integral to each other. Pursuing these goals together is the right thing to do and has not been done for so long. Conservation has suffered because of it.” The work of local leaders has produced enduring, systemic change in communities.
Local conservationists are supported through small, targeted grants up to $12,000 which give them the latitude to best address their specific needs and incorporate local knowledge. For instance, MCAF Fellow Francklin Barbier of the Haiti Ocean Project has built strong relationships with local fishers and engaged them in tagging and data collection to protect sea turtles and sharks, drawing on their local knowledge.
In addition to the granting program, MCAF has a fellowship program. MCAF Fellows remain in the MCAF community for their entire career. The summit brought them together—fourteen conservation leaders from eleven countries—to share their work and nurture new collaborations. They did everything from public presentations to sessions focused on exchanging ideas and practices to a workshop on wellness and preventing burnout. They shared their work with Boston public school students and aquarium visitors. But, two fellows were only able to participate virtually. They were subject to the inequity Stephenson referred to in her introduction. Because of their countries of origin, the U.S. visa process was so saddled with red tape and delays that they were not able to gain entry in time for the summit. It’s a common form of the inequity that local conservation leaders in the majority world face, the barriers they must surmount to participate in international events.
We know all too well how inequity and environmental damage go hand in hand. The work of MCAF shows how working towards social justice and conservation goals jointly is not only the right thing to do, but leads to positive, lasting change forged by local leaders and their communities.
“They’re the ones climbing Everest,” Stephenson said emphatically. “We are like base camp. We are here in service to them rather than directing them or taking credit. The work they are doing to save the oceans benefits the whole world.”
About the Author
Liz Cunningham is the author of the award-winning Ocean Country, with a foreword by Carl Safina. Her mission is to inspire and empower others to protect the life of this planet and achieve social justice. She writes about conservation and the traits we need to care for our planet and each other, among them courage, engaged hope, and a capacity to work together to implement solutions. Learn more about her work at www.lizcunningham.net
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the MCAF Fellows on this MCAF page and the MCAF YouTube Video Library.
- Silver, Marc, January 4, 2015. “If You Shouldn’t Call It the Third World, What Should You Call It?” National Public Radio.
- De Vos, Asha, July 1, 2020. “The Problem of ‘Colonial Science,” Scientific American.
- Needles, C., Wolcheck, D., Sato, G., Ingulfsen, I., McGill, L., Bradford, L., Ross, N., 2018. The State of Global Giving by U.S. Foundations. Council on Foundations.
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Issue 104 - January 2024
11th Hour Racing Provides Support to Nonprofit Organizations in Coastal Communities
11th Hour Racing announced its support of nine new U.S. grant recipients as part of its ongoing philanthropic efforts funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation. These nonprofit organizations are leading initiatives at the crossroads of education and the environment in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico.
Reinforcing its mission to support local programs that model best practices of sustainability, restore coastal ecosystems, and advance ocean stewardship, 11th Hour Racing also renewed grants with 25 nonprofit organizations and supported 11 community nonprofits in Rhode Island, bringing total funding to $4 million in grant giving in 2023.
“11th Hour Racing’s strategy centers on improving ocean health with an array of solutions that start on land,” said Michelle Carnevale, president of 11th Hour Racing. “Community composting is a strong focus this year – because it transforms food waste into nutrient-rich soil that helps nature sequester more carbon. We’ve also broadened our support of diverse organizations that are leading policy research, testing out advances in ecosystem restoration, and teaching traditional ecological knowledge.”
These nine new grantees join 11th Hour Racing’s current 48-strong cohort of grantees creating systemic change to restore ocean health. The following are the new grantees and work supported by 11th Hour Racing.
- Compost Power (New York City, N.Y.) hosts weekly workshops and trains young adults from public housing communities on composting practices and leadership. It processes residential food waste and distributes finished compost to city residents and community gardens.
- Franklin’s Promise Coalition (Apalachicola, Fla.) leads experiential youth leadership programs, including BoriCorps in Puerto Rico and OysterCorps in Florida, focused on workforce development in restoring mangroves, salt marshes, oyster habitats, and living shorelines to advance coastal resilience in historically marginalized communities.
- Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Washington, D.C.) will advance BIPOC-centered composting programs in the northeast United States through a small grants initiative.
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Mashpee, Mass.) is implementing a four-week Preserving Our Homelands Youth in Science summer program that combines traditional ecological knowledge with Western science and supports operations of this region’s only native-owned and operated shellfish farm.
- Novak Lab (Boston, Mass.) reduces the climate vulnerability of New England eelgrass meadows on Cape Cod by transplanting eelgrass shoots from regional locations with higher average water temperatures and supports restoration efforts of vital eelgrass habitat on Nantucket.
- Rhode Island Food Policy Council (Providence, R.I.) supports a just and resilient food system in Rhode Island, including advancing municipal composting initiatives, building a network of compost leaders, and advocating for sustainable food policy.
- Rhode Island Schools Recycling Project (Providence, R.I.) is expanding its food waste and healthy food capture and diversion program into five additional schools, training students to lead their fellow students in lunchroom composting, diverting healthy edible food, and recycling. The program is also conducting a case study on cost-saving benefits for schools that switch to lunchroom food waste sorting stations.
- Stone Living Lab (Boston, Mass.) improves biodiversity and water quality by installing Living Seawalls, eco-engineered habitat-mimicking concrete structures that will help create more viable Boston Harbor ecosystems while conducting educational events for key municipal and climate resilience professionals.
- Urban Ocean Lab (Boston, Mass.) cultivates rigorous, creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities. To advance the use of nature-based solutions in coastal cities nationwide, Urban Ocean Lab is partnering with Stone Living Lab to document, translate, and disseminate lessons learned from the City of Boston’s use of nature-based solutions as an adaptation measure.
11th Hour Racing’s additional contributions to Rhode Island-based nonprofit organizations reflect its mission to support those working to forge a sustainable and inclusive coastal community, foster resilience, and tackle local environmental challenges.
Donation recipients include Bike Newport, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County, Conexión Latina Newport, Eating with the Ecosystem, EcoRI News, FabNewport, International Tennis Hall of Fame’s TeamFAME Program, Newport Festivals Foundation, Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm, Sankofa Community Connection, and Zero Waste Providence.
11th Hour Racing is now accepting grant applications through March 31, 2024, and welcomes national and international organizations to apply. To learn more, visit 11thhourracing.org.
About 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing works to mobilize sports, maritime, and coastal communities with an innovative approach to inspire solutions for the ocean. Since 2010 the organization has been harnessing the power of sport to promote collaborative, systemic change through three primary areas of engagement: Sponsorships, Grantees, and Ambassadors. Learn more at www.11thhourracing.org.
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Issue 104 - January 2024
SSI Launches ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Facebook Group to Unite Divers Worldwide
Scuba Schools International (SSI) has launched a new Facebook group, ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’. This exciting new community is designed to bring together divers from around the world to share their knowledge and passion for underwater adventures.
Why ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’?
SSI recognizes the need for a vibrant and engaging platform that goes beyond training and certifications. A place where divers of all experience levels can come together to celebrate the wonders of the underwater world. Here, divers can find a supportive network of other divers who are keen to share their experiences, insights, and tips to enhance every diving adventure.
Benefits of joining:
Joining ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ offers a multitude of benefits. Divers can get unbiased views on everything related to diving. They can ask questions, receive valuable feedback, and get validation from a global community of divers. With members from around the world, it is easy for divers to make new friends and discover new places to go diving.
Who is this group for?
The ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Facebook group is for everyone interested in diving – be that scuba diving, freediving, Extended Range diving, or mermaiding. This diverse and inclusive group caters for all experience levels; from beginners right through to professionals.
Inside the group, members can explore a world of topics, such as:
- Dive spots around the world.
- Dive trip planning tips.
- Equipment reviews and recommendations.
- Dive safety and skills.
- Marine conservation and environmental awareness.
- Underwater photography and videography.
- Dive stories and experiences.
- Diving Q&A sessions, polls, surveys, and quizzes.
- SSI updates and news.
- Exciting events.
- Inspiring interviews.
So, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting your underwater journey, SSI invites you to become a part of this extraordinary community today:
Join the ‘Underwater Explorers Worldwide’ Community.
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Issue 104 - January 2024
SEVENSEAS Travel Magazine – January 2024 – Issue 104
Feature Destination
Rapa Nui’s Hidden Gems and Sacred Spaces
Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, is a bastion of ancient mystery and modern allure, a remote volcanic island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. It’s world-renowned for its archaeological treasures, particularly the nearly 900 Moai statues carved by the early Rapa Nui people. Read more…
Rapa Nui Multiple Use Marine Coastal Protected Area, a Blueprint for Conservation
The Rapa Nui Multiple Use Marine Coastal Protected Area, established off the coast of Easter Island in 2018, stands as a monumental effort in marine conservation, encompassing an area of 278,000 square miles. Read more…
Sustainability Insights from Rapa Nui’s Past
Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui to its earliest inhabitants, stands as a sentinel of human history, and ecology, and a poignant lesson in the fragility of civilization. Approximately 2,300 miles from the coast of Chile, it is the most isolated inhabited landmass on Earth. Read more…
NEWSROOM
Halfway Through Expedition Hope: Do Offshore Seamounts Mean Good News for Cayman’s Coral Reefs?
Little Cayman, Cayman Islands; 15 December 2023: As we near the halfway point of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s (CCMI) Expedition Hope to characterise the biodiversity of two offshore seamounts in the Cayman Islands. Read more…
Ocean Hope Chronicles: Local Leaders as Extraordinary Changemakers
Liz Cunningham’s Ocean Hope Chronicles are dedicated to inspiring individuals who are making a difference to protect the life of the seas. “Majority world.” My ears pricked up. I had not heard that term before. The speaker continued. “The majority world is home to talented conservationists who have historically been underrepresented due to colonialism. Read more…
Caught napping? Grey Reef Sharks Resting Changes What We Know About How They Breathe
Researchers are re-writing what we know about how grey reef sharks breathe and rest based on new observations from reefs in Seychelles. They hope that if we understand whether sharks sleep, we will take better measure of everything else. Read more…
MILAN: Natural History Museum Reopens with Renewed Exhibition Layout
The Migliore+Servetto design studio, which won the national competition to design the set-up of the whole museum in 2018, has created the permanent design for Room IX of the Natural History Museum of Milan, dedicated to the “Natural History of Humans”. The intervention involves approximately 400 square metres and ranges from the overall conception of the room layout. Read more…
Snapping Shrimp Create Rowdy Reef in Kimberley Marine Park
Underwater reefs are generally thought of as tranquil places — however, some truly unruly residents make one such area off the coast of northwestern Australia anything but quiet. Marine experts from Curtin University and the Western Australian Museum were diving in the West Holothuria Reef complex in Wunambal Gaambera Wundaagu saltwater country off the Kimberley coast of WA. Read more…
Guy Harvey Foundation Renews Support for The Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest
Wildlife Forever is proud to announce the continuation of their partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation for the 2024 The Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest. The Guy Harvey Foundation will continue to support the Guy Harvey Shark Award, a special category of the competition featuring all species of sharks. Read more…
Extinct Ink: What If Your Next Tattoo Could Create a Forever-Lasting Impact?
Our oceans are dying and we are responsible: dozens of marine animals have gone extinct due to pollution, poaching, and other human activity. It seems only fair that we give a bit of ourselves to raise awareness about this dramatic issue. Read more…
SOFi Products Unveils New Plastic-Free, Biodegradable Cup for Hot Beverages
After four years of research and development, SOFi Products is excited to reveal its new 100% plastic-free, biodegradable cup for hot beverages that doesn’t require a separate lid. The SOFi Hot Cup features three flaps that fold together to form a spill-proof spout. Read more…
Mountain Bike & Camp Along North Rim of the Grand Canyon with Escape Adventures
While most of North America reels under hot summertime temperatures, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers a wonderful high-altitude escape. Providing gently rolling terrain of lung-expanding dimensions, the North Rim has been long-held as sacred ground to hikers and cyclists alike. Read more…
Shark Conservation Insight: ‘Older Than Trees’ Documentary Unveils Dr. James Lea’s Shark Conservation Quest
The Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is proud to share its story of shark scientist Dr James Lea, a field biologist deeply committed to a hopeful future for sharks and rays. Viewers can stream the film for free on YouTube, journeying with Lea as he travels the planet using his expertise to save sharks. See the documentary…
Green Fins Indonesia is Committed to Expanding Sustainability to Marine Tourism Nationwide
The Reef-World Foundation — the international coordinator of UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative — has successfully trained and certified two new Green Fins assessor trainers from the Green Fins Indonesia National Team. Read more…
SEVENSEAS Beach Cleanup & Coral Restoration Events in Marine Protected Areas
Beach Cleanup Event from
November 2023
Coral Nursery & Restoration Activity Update: July 2023
In July 2023, SEVENSEAS Media conducted two impactful events in Krabi, Thailand. The Monthly Beach Cleanup Event at Ao Sew Beach saw enthusiastic volunteers remove a staggering 150.6 kilograms of trash, underscoring the pressing issue of marine pollution and the significance of sustainable practices like reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. The organization stressed the importance of proper waste management to protect coastal ecosystems.
Meanwhile, in the face of an unexpected storm, SEVENSEAS Media’s Coral Nursery & Restoration team demonstrated unwavering dedication, rescuing and relocating 75 corals to safer locations, bolstering their chances of survival and growth. The team outlined a comprehensive plan for continued coral recovery missions and data collection efforts throughout the year. The recent storm served as a stark reminder of the urgency to safeguard coral reefs from climate change impacts. We would like to express our gratitude for the support received from individuals and communities in this conservation community. We would not be able to do it without your support. You can make a tax-deductible donation here to keep our publications and Thailand Cleanup Project afloat.
You can either make a direct financial contribution to SEVENSEAS Media through The Ocean Foundation website or connect us with potential donors by sending an email to Giacomo Abrusci, our Editor-in-Chief.
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Signing up for the free Weekly Newsletter & Jobs List will get you a round-up of upcoming events, webinars, meetings, reports, funding opportunities, photos of the week, and recent postings to the jobs list.
To sign up for our free subscription, please Click Here or email us Here.
Since 2004, SEVENSEAS Media has fostered an informal and non-partisan platform to promote understanding of key issues and challenges while building partnerships across an increasingly diverse group of marine conservation professionals and students.
Our mission is to promote communication and build partnerships across the global marine community and to identify and address gaps in the community’s work. SEVENSEAS Media achieves this through multimedia promotion and partnerships. The community consists of a diverse and growing group of participants, including non-governmental organizations, government agencies, foundations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, fellowship programs, independent consultants, and academia/students.
If you are interested in contributing or getting involved, email us Here.
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